Age Dependent Effects of Metformin in Wistar Albino Male Rats with Metabolic Syndrome

Abstract

Abstract Background and aims: Comparative estimation of metformin treatment effectiveness in adult and young rats with metabolic syndrome (MS). Materials and methods: A metabolic syndrome model was induced by full replacement of drinking water with 20% fructose solution in Wistar albino male rats of two age categories (young animals of 21 days age (50-70g) and adults (160-180g)). After 60 days of MS modelling and metformin treatment, hematological, biochemical, blood pressure, chromatin DNA fragmentation investigations, as well as morphological macroscopic and microscopic studies were carried out. Results: In young rats, effects of metformin on blood clotting time, lipid metabolism and DNA fragmentation were more pronounced. Mature rats showed greater susceptibility to this drug as for influence on pancreas and visceral fat relative weights. Conclusions: In our experiment with young and adult rats with MS and metformin treatment we showed that this preparation effect was age-dependent for lipid metabolism indices, blood clotting time, nuclear DNA fragmentation parameters, as well as for changes of relative organs weights and target organs morphological structure. Metformin treatment allowed a partial normalization of serum levels of lowdensity lipoproteins (LDLP) and ratio high lowdensity lipoproteins / lowdensity lipoproteins (HDLP/LDLP), hemoglobin contents, hematocrit percentage, DNA fragmentation rates, with simultaneous worsening in blood clotting time, blood pressure levels, liver and pancreas relative organs weights (of young rats).